Hannah Sinclair – East Timor has filed a request with the United Nations to resolve a dispute over its maritime border with Australia. It's a move that has evoked quite different policy reactions.
As part of a long-running dispute, East Timor argues it is severely disadvantaged by the lack of a permanent maritime boundary between Australia and the small island nation. It says the current resource-sharing arrangements in the Timor Sea mean it's missing out on billions of dollars in revenue from offshore oil and gas fields.
The Australian federal government says the existing treaties, negotiated with the newly-independent East Timor in 2006, are fair and consistent with international law. East Timor has now filed a request with the United Nations to help solve the dispute.
But Australia has withdrawn from the maritime boundary jurisdiction of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, meaning Australia's government doesn't have to abide by any decision made by the UN on the matter.
Agio Pereira is the Minister of State and East Timor's second most important Cabinet position after the Prime Minister. Mr Pereira says they are pursuing the UN path because it can still provide high-profile and powerful recommendations.
"The recommendations will be a guide for both countries, Australia and Timor Leste, to understand under International Law, or even from a political perspective, economic perspective, the sovereignty over the Timor Sea that Timor Leste also originally has and wants the limitation and maritime boundaries to consolidate this sovereignty."